You Will Receive an Emergency Alert Today

Today, expect a test emergency alert message on your phone. The alert is expected to be sent at at 12:18 p.m. Montana time. This is a nationwide test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system.

Here's what will happen:

You’ll hear a loud tone & vibration.

A message box will pop up on the screen and will show a message that starts with “THIS IS A TEST” and ends with “No action is needed.”

If you’re watching TV or listening to the radio, you may also see or hear a test message around the same time.

This nationwide test is to ensure that during a major national emergency affecting public safety, it will be possible to alert people quickly. FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission will be evaluating the readiness of the emergency alert infrastructure to see if improvements are needed.